Student jailed after making fraudulent £788k VAT claim

Man, 22, running business from home had spiralling debts

- Sentinel Reporter

A FRAUDSTER has been locked up. Ranvir Singh Malhi was the director of computer components supplier RonsElectronics which was first registered in Bradwell Lane, Newcastle, and later transferred to Mayfair.

But the business was actually operated from the 23-year-old's bedroom and he submitted a fraudulent £788,159.58 VAT claim to HMRC. Now he has been banned from being a company director for nine years.

Daniel Bishop, prosecuting, said: "The defendant claimed RonsElectronics Ltd had an estimated turnover of £500,000. On November 21, 2022 he submitted an online VAT return to HMRC ending October 2022. The figures entered on the return claimed total sales and other outputs excluding VAT were at £8.5 million and he required a return of £788,159.58.